AN: The minister's words were all taken directly, except for the addition of the names, from an actual example wedding ceremony I found online. Amazing, no?

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Cassandra Fraiser stepped back to admire her work. She had managed to catch nearly all of Sam's hair in a twist behind her head, which was pretty good since she wasn't used to working with such short hair. Cassie gingerly prodded one of the tiny hydrangeas she'd woven between the strands. Everything seemed to be holding. Satisfied, she handed Sam the small mirror sitting on the low dresser. "Well, what do you think?"

The older woman positioned the mirror behind her head so she could see Cassie's work reflected in the large dresser mirror in front of her. "It's beautiful." Sam turned her head and beamed a smile over her shoulder at Cassie. "Thanks!"

Cassie smiled in return. "It's the least I can do. You and Jack…" She had trouble continuing her sentence. Her happiness suddenly seemed too close to a betrayal. She tried again. "You're like the only parents I have left."

Sam's blue eyes narrowed for a moment at Cassie's words. "Janet wouldn't have wanted you to be alone, Cassie, and neither would your other parents. They'd want you to be happy."

The thing Cassie really loved about Sam was that she refused to bullshit, and she wasn't about to let Cassie do so, either. Fighting back her tears, Cassie tried to explain, "I know that. It's just -- Mom should be here helping you instead of me."

Sam smiled, understanding. That was another thing about Sam: she always got it. "No, she should have been here with us." Sam corrected, and Cassie, nodding silently, couldn't quite keep back her tears. The other woman noticed, of course, and standing up, held her arms open to Cassie. "C'mere," she gently ordered.

Cassie stepped forward gratefully, and Sam wrapped her arms around her. She felt better just being held, and it took her several minutes to notice that Sam was crying, too. She quickly broke out of the embrace. "Oh, Sam, I'm so sorry. I totally forgot about – I mean, here I am, feeling sorry for myself like a selfish child, and your Dad…"

To her astonishment, Sam chuckled, carefully wiping the tears off her face as she did so. "Its okay, Cass. I think I probably needed that as much as you did. And, today especially, I really miss them both."

Sam briefly hugged Cassie again before adding, "Besides, where our parents are, I suspect they're as happy about today as we are." Cassie doubted anyone had ever been as happy – and for good reason – as Sam and Jack on their wedding day, but she refrained from saying so. Of course, Sam saw the disbelieving look on Cassie's face and quickly added, laughing again, "Okay, maybe not as happy, but you know what I mean."

Cassie joined her in giggling. "Yeah, I guess." Then, noticing Sam's tears had left a trail down her cheeks, she motioned for her to sit back down. "Now, let me fix your face before Jack sees you and thinks you're having second thoughts about marrying him." Though, looking at the light shining from Sam's smile as she started to reapply her make-up, Cassie knew no one who saw Sam could possibly have any question about that.

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Jack had been standing on the pier waiting for Carter forever. If he were being honest, he had probably only been standing there next to the minister, with Teal'c and Daniel standing next to him on the edge of the pond, for about five minutes. After eight years of unconsciously waiting for her to be his, however, it certainly felt like forever.

Finally, Cassie appeared 'round the corner of the cabin. She hurried to where the men were waiting and reassured them with a grin. "She's coming. It just took a bit longer than we expected," she said, and took her place on the opposite side of the pier from where the men of SG-1 stood.

Samantha Carter stepped around the corner of the cabin. Jack blinked. Twice. He knew she was gorgeous, but – He tugged at the bottom edge of his suit jacket, briefly wishing he'd gone with the tuxedo and its concealing cummerbund after all. Carter was wearing a lacy cardigan opened over a full-length sleeveless white dress that hugged her in all the right places. As she came to stand beside him, he could see her hair was pulled back and up under her veil, her face underneath glowing with a smile radiant even by her standards. On a woman who looked incredible wearing BDUs and covered in mud and gunk, the overall effect was absolutely stunning.

Impossibly, her smile grew still brighter as she saw the effect her appearance had on him. "Breathe," she ordered on a giggle under her breath.

"Yes, ma'am."

She giggled again, and together they turned to face the minister. "Ready?" he asked them quietly. They nodded, again in unison, and, opening his prayer book, the minister began the ceremony:

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes to the words which shall unite John --"

Jack interrupted smoothly, "Jack."

Without missing a beat, the minister continued, 'Jack O'Neill and Samantha Carter in marriage. Should there be anyone who has cause why this couple should not be united in marriage, they must speak now or forever hold their peace."

The minister glanced 'round the small group. So did Jack, only his expression was a bit more threatening. Satisfied, the minister continued:

"Good. Then, Jo—Jack, do you take Samantha to be your Wife?"

The minister paused until Jack answered, "I do."

"Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her?"

Jack looked across the minister at Sam, catching her eyes before answering with a smile only for her, "Always," and was rewarded by a twinkle in those beautiful blue eyes.

The minister turned to Carter, "Samantha, do you take Jack to be your Husband?"

"I do."

"Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?'

It was Carter's turn to look him in the eye, winking as she answered, "Always." Jack smiled back at her. They definitely had the protecting part down, and he was looking forward to spending the rest of their lives practicing the loving and cherishing -- especially the loving. He tugged the edge of his suit down again, just to be on the safe side. She noticed the gesture, and winked again.

The minister had continued speaking during this exchange, and was busy explaining the significance of wedding rings. "…And visible sign of an inward spiritual grace and the unbroken circle of love, signifying to all the union of this man and this woman in marriage. Do you have the rings?"

Jack nodded, pulling her rings – both an engagement ring and a wedding band permanently joined together – out of his suit pocket. He had purchased them, attached to each other already, the day before Jacob's funeral, and they had been in his pocket or his nightstand ever since. This was the first time she had seen them, however, and her already huge doe eyes grew still larger at the size and cut of the diamond. Two months of a Brigadier General's pay could buy a very nice ring.

He smiled proudly as he repeated the minister's words, "I, Jack O'Neill, take thee, Samantha Carter, to be my Wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise to continue to love you forevermore as I always have." Then, taking her hand in his, and squeezing gently to accentuate his promise, he slipped the rings onto her finger.

Carter turned to Cassie, who stepped forward to hand her Jack's ring. She had picked it up on Monday when she'd gone into town to buy her dress and apply for their marriage license. He hadn't seen the ring, either, a simple gold band, but he knew she'd gotten it engraved. She repeated the ministers words, "I, Samantha Carter, take thee, Jack O'Neill, to be my Husband. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise to continue to love you forevermore as I always have." She slipped the cool band onto his hand, the small bit of metal feeling perfectly right as it settled around his finger.

Still holding hands, they looked back up at the minister, who began speaking again:

"Jack and Samantha, as the two of you come into this marriage uniting you as husband and wife, and as you this day affirm your faith and love for one another, I would ask that you always remember to cherish each other as special and unique individuals, that you respect the thoughts, ideas and suggestions of one another. Be able to forgive, do not hold grudges, and live each day that you may share it together – as from this day forward you shall be each other's home, comfort, and refuge, your marriage strengthened by your love and respect for each other.

Jack looked at Samantha, standing next to him as she had stood beside him for the better part of the last decade and realized that being married wouldn't change as much about their relationship as he had thought. The best part, Carter at his side and having his back no matter what kind of shit they found themselves in, would remain the same. Even their newly discovered physical intimacy was just another dimension of that. Granted, a very nice dimension, but still… Jack pulled his attention back to the minister, who had continued speaking:

"…of life's greatest commitments. But it is also is declaration of love. I wish to read to you what Paul wrote of love in a letter to the Corinthians. I believe it is a true model of love and it is a model of love I hope you pursue in your marriage:

Love is very patient and kind, never jealous nor envious, never boastful nor proud. Love is never haughty nor selfish nor rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable or touchy. Love does not hold grudges and will hardly notice when others do it wrong. Love is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone, you will be loyal to them no matter what the cost. You will always believe in them, always expect the best of them, and will always stand your ground defending them." Jack and Sam smiled at each at the minister's last sentence. If he only knew…

Now nearing the end of the ceremony, the minister asked them to turn to each other and hold hands before he went on. "Jack and Samantha, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Holy Matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows, the joining of your hands and the giving of these rings, I now declare you to be Husband and Wife. Whom God hath joined together, let no one put asunder.

"Congratulations, you may now kiss your bride."

Stepping forward, Jack lifted Carter's veil before pulling her into his arms. He dipped down, bending her backwards as he pressed his lips to hers. Her mouth opened beneath his, her tongue dancing with his, tasting him as he tasted her. Finally, their need for oxygen overcoming their need for each other, Jack released her. They stood breathlessly next to each other, their friend's cheers ringing in their ears as the minister, smiling now himself, concluded the ceremony:

"It is my privilege to present to you General and Lieutenant Colonel O'Neill."